Join Wouter van Marle for a visit to the Soko Islands: a group of rocky outcrops and two larger islands just south of Lantau on a chartered Chinese teak junk. This tour will not have loud music, banana boating or water skiing, it's not a party junk, instead it's a relaxed two-hour trip passing by some excellent scenery.

The Soko islands are currently uninhabited, however there are still signs of human occupation. Temples, ruins of houses, even a nicely decorated fountain. Now, a desolate place, cut off from civilisation, the islands are visited by fishermen to pray to the sea goddess Tin Hau, day trippers to enjoy the unspoilt beaches, and occasionally the Hong Kong police force for riot training.

Until the late 1970s both North Soko and South Soko were home to farming families, who lived together growing crops, fishing in the surrounding seas and rearing a few pigs. Now, these villages are abandoned. In the 1990's, South Soko became a refugee camp, housing mostly Vietnamese boat refugees. Today, these camps have been demolished and only the foundations remain. North Soko is the smaller of the two, with some nice beaches on both sides. A small temple and some ruins can also be found on this island.

We will travel by a basic wooden junk, with seats & a toilet, no changing rooms. Soft drinks, beers and basic snacks will be available. You are encouraged to bring your own packed lunch. We can dock at South Soko island, however will need need to take a short swim to North Soko island, as the water is too shallow to dock there. So, bring/wear approporiate clothing.